peace and
quietness, positively No!"

"I am to understand, then, that you hold by the determination expressed
in your letter?"

"Yes, please. So glad we understand each other at last. Sit down
again--do!"

I walked at once to the door, and Mr. Fairlie resignedly "tinkled" his
hand-bell. Before I left the room I turned round and addressed him for
the last time.

"Whatever happens in the future, sir," I said, "remember that my plain
duty of warning you has been performed. As the faithful friend and
servant of your family, I tell you, at parting, that no daughter of
mine should be married to any man alive under such a settlement as you
are forcing me to make for Miss Fairlie."

The door opened behind me, and the valet stood waiting on the threshold.

"Louis," said Mr. Fairlie, "show Mr. Gilmore out, and then come back
and hold up my etchings for me again. Make them give you a good lunch
downstairs. Do, Gilmore, make my idle beasts of servants give you a
good lunch!"

I was too much disgusted to reply--I turned on my heel, and left him in
silence. There was an up train at two o'clock in the afternoon, and by
that train I returned to London.

On the Tuesday I sent in the altered settlement, which practically
disinherited the very persons whom Miss Fairlie's own lips had informed
me she was most anxious to benefit. I had no choice. Another lawyer
would have drawn up the deed if I had refused to undertake it.

My task is done. My personal share in the events of the family story
extends no farther than the point which I have just reached. Other pens
than mine will describe the strange circumstances which are now shortly
to follow. Seriously and sorrowfully I close this brief record.
Seriously and sorrowfully I repeat here the parting words that I spoke
at Limmeridge House:--No daughter of mine should have been married to
any man alive under such a settlement as I was compelled to make for
Laura Fairlie.

The End of Mr. Gilmore's Narrative.

THE STORY CONTINUED BY MARIAN HALCOMBE

(in Extracts from her Diary)

LIMMERIDGE HOUSE, Nov. 8.[1]

[1] The passages omitted, here and elsewhere, in Miss Halcombe's Diary
are only those which bear no reference to Miss Fairlie or to any of the
persons with whom she is associated in these pages.

This morning Mr. Gilmore left us.

His interview with Laura had evidently grieved and surprised him more
than he liked to confess. I felt